TYSON WHITNEY PHOTO
Stellar Jay Organics (Tristan Radzik and Serena Neumerschitsky) has received approval from the LCRB to open a recreational cannabis shop in Port Hardy at the North Island Mall. Look for the shop to be holding its grand opening sometime in February.

Stellar Jay Organics in Port Hardy is the first Vancouver Island based recreational cannabis shop to be approved by the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB).

“We have approval in principle (from the LCRB), which means get the store ready for when the inspector comes in, and then we’re good to open,” said owner Serena Neumerschitsky, who added they are looking at having a grand opening sometime in February as they still have to spend a good chunk of money to fix up the space they are renting at the North Island Mall from the Dirom family.

“It will all come together really quickly,” added owner Tristan Radzik, who has been putting in plenty of hours on the side fixing up the space for commercial use. “The Dirom family has been amazing through the entire process.”

As for what products Stellar Jay Organics will be offering, Neumerschitsky noted they will definitely have pre-rolled cannabis, CBD oils and capsules, pipes, bongs, flowers, and once seeds, concentrates and edibles are available to sell they will bring them out as well.

“Science is always coming out with new things and we are really trying to be on top of the market and we believe in educating the people,” added Radzik.

He also noted he thinks it’s pretty exciting to be the first store on Vancouver Island to be approved by the LCRB, stating the whole process officially started in August when the government first opened up applications.

“The idea for the shop actually first started when we joined Port Hardy’s marijuana advisory council, so it’s been going on for a year and a half, two years now,” added Neumerschitsky.

When asked about hours of operation, Radzik stated they are a small business and want to see how the market will dictate their hours. “We do want to listen to the community and hear if they think there should be input as to what the hours should be.”

“If they want us to be open more, great — if it calls for less, then it’s less,” added Neumerschitsky.

Radzik also pointed out they are excited about their store bringing more tourism to Port Hardy. “We do expect people coming up here from all over to visit,” he stated, pointing out they’ve had people contact them from all over North America.

Serena Neumerschitsky and Tristan Radzik moved to Port Hardy back in May of 2018. Radzik was born in Poland and immigrated to Canada in 1990. Neumerschitsky was born on Vancouver Island, Langford specifically, and they met in Vancouver while she was going to university and Radzik was working construction.

As for why they chose to move to Port Hardy, Radzik noted in a previous interview the town’s stunning nature was the first thing that had them hooked. Then once they realized they could buy property here for under six figures, “We figured let’s just go,” laughed Neumerschitsky. “We’re big backcountry people so that was really the focus for us.”